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Icelandic Labour Union Offers Free Event To Help Foreign Workers Know Their Rights
Efling, one of Iceland’s largest labour unions and to a large extent comprised of foreign workers, will be holding an event tomorrow to discuss work conditions in hotels and restaurants—trades that have dominated worker grievances of wage theft. The event, entitled “Is…
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Thousands Of Foreign Workers In Iceland Exploited, Indicating Systemic Problems
Thousands of foreign workers in Iceland—primarily employed in construction, hotels and restaurants—are being subjected to some of the worst examples of illegal employment practices in the country. This was examined in detail in a report from Kveikur, an investigative news show from…
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Trust Lacking in Looming Labour Talks In Iceland
According to an article published by RÚV, experts perceive a stark lack of trust between management and workers. The recent report commissioned by the office of Left-Green Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir stated that the maximum pay increase is only four percent. The…
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Immigrants In Iceland: 13% Of The Population, Nearly 20% Of The Workforce
The percentage of Icelanders in the labour market has never been higher, and their presence in the workforce is at an even higher percentage than their share of the total population. RÚV reports that, according to data from Statistics Iceland, there were…
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Ready for a Fight: Unions Prepare for Tough Wage Negotiations
The Office of Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir commissioned economics professor Gylfi Zoega to write a report about potential wage increases ahead of a series of tough negotiations, RÚV reports. Gylfi estimates that the maximum pay increase is 4%. He believes inflation would…
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Whalers In Iceland Forbidden From Being In Labour Union
Workers within the whaling company Hvalur hf. have been informed by the company that they may not be members of a labour union that recently won a back-wages cases against them in court. A lawyer for the union believes this measure is…
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There Is Power In The Union: Iceland’s Labour Revolution
Earlier this month, Icelanders witnessed a bloodless revolution. Efling, one of Iceland’s largest labour unions and comprised of some of the lowest-paid workers in the country, held elections for their board. Although voter participation was around 15%, some 80% of these voters…
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Icelandic Union Proposes All Workers Get Same Pay Rise As Company Director
In response to yet another astronomical pay rise for yet another corporate head, a labour union has proposed all the company workers get their share, too. Vísir reported yesterday that Eggert Þór Kristófersson, the director of fuel station company N1, saw his…
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Immigrant-Heavy List Wins Elections In Major Icelandic Labour Union
Elections last night for the board of the labour union Efling saw a huge victory for B-list, a candidate list comprised in large part by immigrants and led by an Icelander promising radical changes. Voter turnout was decidedly low in the elections.…
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One Fourth Of Unemployed Icelanders Are University Graduates
The second largest group affected by unemployment in Iceland is comprised of university graduates, RÚV reports—right after individuals who only hold a primary school degree. Although the unemployment rate in Iceland is extremely low compared to other European countries (the youth unemployment…
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Icelandair Airline Engineers On Strike
As expected, airline engineers for Icelandair have gone on strike. Many flights today are cancelled, and no new negotiations are pending at this time. As reported airline engineers at Icelandair have been in negotiations with management for the past six months now,…
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Flight Engineers May Go On Strike This Sunday
Flight engineers have been in negotiations with management for six months, and a strike over the holidays may be in the cards. RÚV reports that negotiations between flight engineers and government arbitration concluded yesterday without any meaningful results. While negotiations are expected…
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Unemployed In Iceland Get Christmas Bonuses
Iceland’s unemployed will be getting Christmas bonuses this year, and unemployment in general has hit record lows. According to a statement from the Ministry of Welfare, those registered as unemployed in Iceland will receive a one-time December payment of 65,162 ISK. For…
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One In Ten Workers Foreign Nationals
Foreign nationals now comprise 10.3% of the work force, reports Vísir. That is roughly 2000 more than in 2008 and just over 20.000 people in total. That means 1 in 10 people working in Iceland today are from abroad. “It’s actually less…
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Solution May Be Soon At Hand In Fishermen’s Labour Dispute
The Ministry of Fisheries recently met with fishing unions and fishing company representatives in the hopes of resolving a strike that has been going on for about two months now. RÚV reports that Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir met…
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Up To 4,000 Foreign Workers Needed Next Year
Domestic workers decreased last year, and Business Iceland predicts that if this trend continues, anywhere from 2,500 to 4,000 foreign workers will be needed in Iceland next year. According to a new assessment from Business Iceland, there are a number of factors…
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Seamen Strike Continues, New Minister Says Strikebreaking Law “Out Of The Question”
While one of the main organisers of a demonstration of seamen has vowed that they will remain on strike, even if parliament passes a law compelling them to go back to work, Iceland’s new Minister of Fisheries has said that such a…
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Iceland’s Seamen Start Their Strike Tonight
Several seamen unions will go on strike at 20:00 tonight, having overwhelmingly rejected a collective bargaining agreement struck between union leaders and fishing industry giants. Iceland’s seamen have been working without a valid contract since 2011. Vísir reports that 76% of voting…
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Teachers Narrowly Approve New Collective Bargaining Agreement
Iceland’s primary school teachers voted narrowly in favour of the collective bargaining agreement their union had signed with municipalities last month. RÚV reports that voter participation was high, with just under 91% of primary school teachers voting. Even so, voting was fairly…
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Solidarity Forever: An Interview With Union Organiser Vilhjálmur Birgisson
Meet the union leader pushing for radical changes within the unions themselves. Vilhjálmur Birgisson is the head of the Akranes Labour Union (Verkalýðsfélag Akraness). His background is decidedly working class, including stints working everywhere from fish processing plants to the ferry between…
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Union Head Criticises Top Union Official: “Cannot Call Himself A Labour Leader”
Vilhjálmur Birgisson, director of the labour union Verkalýðsfélags Akraness, harshly criticised the top union official in the country for downplaying the demands of Iceland’s primary school teachers. Iceland’s primary school teachers, who are municipal employees, have been working without a valid collective…
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Students, Parents Show Solidarity With Teachers In Labour Dispute
While yesterday’s work stoppage by primary school teachers has been criticised by some, students and parents alike are showing considerable solidarity for the teachers’ struggle for better labour conditions. As reported, teachers left work early yesterday to attend a solidarity meeting concerning…
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Teachers Walk Off Job Today, Labor Crisis Looming
Primary school teachers across the country will be leaving work at 13:30 today, to attend a solidarity meeting pertaining to their ongoing collective bargaining negotiations. Already, many teachers across the country have quit their jobs in the dispute. RÚV reports that afterschool…